What next?
by CCC17
Summary: Not a creative title...Might change it and the rating later. This is my first FLCL story. Its about what happens two years after Haruko left Mabase to chase Atomsk. One OC.
1. Chapter 1

Well this is the first time I've written an anime story in FOREVER…What can I say? I loved the show FLCL, watched the whole thing in one night. I love Haruko…is that wrong to say? Does that make me a bad person? Nah…

Anyway, this will be an FLCL story, placed after the last episode, with one added character, its only one so don't complain. I do have to give some kind of background on him though.

Disclaimer: I don't own FLCL obviously; a few companies (Gainax and others) own it.

On with story then?

_Was this all worth it..? _A young man of 17 asked himself. A crowd of many thousands can be heard cheering in the background, they love him, they want more of him, they don't understand that if he ends the way he always does they will…

"CJ, hurry up already, they want more, can't you tell?" The young man's friend and agent tells him. They appear to be the same in age.

"CHRIS! CHRIS! CHRIS!" The chant from thousands of adoring fans continues.

"Kyle…I have enough power, we don't need to do this anymore." The one known as Chris almost pleas to his friend, Kyle Landros. For two years now, he's done the same thing over and over, it isn't right, it's selfish. His being was already the most powerful on the planet.

"CJ, listen to me. Those people," Kyle points to the crowd from their backstage position, "They KNOW what happens when they go to one of your touring concerts. They KNOW it's a mistake, yet they come. And CJ, there is no such thing as too much power, you should know as well as I do what happens to those that are weak. If stealing the power of others means we never have to go back to our weakness, then so be it. I'm not gonna let you mess things up for us." Kyle is nearly yelling at the end, not because of Chris but because of their lonely childhoods, spent on the streets.

Chris sighs, he never liked being called CJ, but Kyle is his friend.

"Alright…" Chris admits defeat for now, because unbeknownst to Kyle, Chris planned to bail before the next concert, on his up and coming Japan tour…

"Atta boy, CJ." Kyle pats Chris on the back, "Knock 'em dead buddy." Kyle chuckles at his poor attempt at a joke, no one ever really dies on these tours…With Kyle gone, Chris takes his below stage position, surrounded by pitch black, he takes a few deep breaths as the grip on the bass neck of his double neck Fender Stratocaster/Gibson Ripper guitar tightens. He loved that guitar, it was his brain child. Flat black (even the necks and stocks were black), with an inlaid design resembling barbed wire down both necks, and a Punisher skull between the two sets of pick ups. Simple…but amazing to him. Besides, it went with his black concert suit.

Even in the pitch black he knew what to do, with his explosion into popularity 2 years ago, he had been doing the same thing every night for a long time. He began strumming the bass part of his guitar, making for a loud, driving bass riff which emanated from the speakers up top. The crowd went wild. People loved his music, but this cover was his signature…

The bass riff progressed, being picked up by his backup bassist who was coming on stage above. Chris began to slowly drag his pick along the thickest string of the guitar neck of his double instrument while his drummer established a rhythm. Then the platform began to rise…

When the platform reached stage level, the main guitar riff began, a high pitched sound that every one of his fans loved with a passion. With the end of his guitar riff, he picked up the driving bass again and began to sing in a high and quiet voice…

It's bugging me  
>Grating me<br>And twisting me around  
>Yeah, I'm endlessly<br>Caving in  
>And turning inside out<p>

He switched back to his guitar, power chords this time, while raising his voice…

'Cause I want it now  
>I want it now<br>Give me your heart and your soul  
>And I'm breaking out<br>I'm breaking out  
>Last chance to lose control<p>

Chris could already see the eyes of those in the front row begin to dim as he sang, their cheering undeterred…Back to the high pitched riff…No more, bass time, he'd become an expert at this…

It's holding me, morphing me  
>And forcing me to strive<br>To be endlessly cold within  
>And dreaming I'm alive<p>

Power chords…Chris could feel his massive power increasing…

'Cause I want it now  
>I want it now<br>Give me your heart and your soul  
>I'm not breaking down<br>I'm breaking out  
>Last chance to lose control<p>

A new bass progression…Chris knew the crowd was giving itself up to his, giving him some of what they had…enough to be "out of it" for a week…Solo time, Chris poured himself into his music, he loved it… 

More power chords…almost done…he began nearly screaming into the mic to build the effect…

And I want you now  
>I want you now<br>I feel my heart implode  
>And I'm breaking out<br>Escaping now  
>Feeling my faith erode<p>

And top it off with bass…some flashing lights, fireworks…darkness…cheering…Chris disappeared from the stage, empowered but with guilt strewn across his face because he knew he loved the power…

Chris could see Kyle giving him a thumbs up from the other side of backstage but he took no pride in what he had done. He left backstage for his car, a Lamborghini Murcielago, black of course. It had been a bitch to get this car at only 17 but money talks to everyone. Chris jumped into the car and sped off from the concert, his music blaring from speakers behind him. He was going to disappear in some hotel complex only to be found the next morning like always, but at least he could get away from this shit for a night.

Tomorrow they left for Japan and he could get away and stay away this time, he had a plan.

_My name is Chris Johnson and I'm an orphan, internationally renowned musician, energy stealer, and demigod in terms of power, all at the young age of 17. Yes I am human but something about me is different…I can steal the will and strength of others with my words. I never wanted to but my friend Kyle, another orphan, demanded I do it to keep ourselves safe._

_Music is the easiest way I know how to do this so two years ago we managed to get a record deal with a major label and my popularity immediately began exploding. After only a few months I was on tour…Massive amounts of people in a small area, perfect for stealing power…I don't like doing it, it's like one of those guilty pleasures to me, something you enjoy but regret later..._

_I've never been able to get away from all of this because we only ever toured in the U.S. and Kyle knows me like the back of his hand. But in Japan…I'll have the upper hand…Again, my name is Chris Johnson, and I'm going to finally be free soon…_

_Nothing amazing happens here…_

_Everything is ordinary…_

These were the thoughts of a kid living his life in the town of Mabase. That kid is the now 14-year-old Naota Nandaba who, after two years, hasn't changed much, although he has grown somewhat and taken up hat wearing, and treats the _amazing_ events of 2 years ago almost as a dream, they seemed unrealistic, they seemed impossible, the fantasies of his childhood. And that girl…

_Haruko…_

She could have just as easily been a dream, a girl his mind fabricated to replace Mamimi, a girl he cared for but saw as too clingy, or to be a symbol of the exciting, the amazing. But he knew she was real, everything that happened was real. In fact he was reminded each day by the city still being repaired and the blue Rickenbacker sitting in the corner of his room…which occasionally made noise of its own accord. But again…nothing amazing happens here.

It just so happened that currently Naota was currently sitting under the bridge he had so many times with Mamimi. Yea, he missed her, so what? She was off in America doing other things…Naota sat doing his homework, he had left his friends a while ago to come here and sit. Maybe it was nostalgia value, yes even teens can feel nostalgia, a throwback to what used to be ordinary, or maybe it was his dad at home who refused to grow up…Either way it made for a good place to do homework.

_Haruko…_Then a noise could be heard causing Naota to look up at the bridge. It sounded like a scooter…

_It can't be…_Naota dropped his homework and sprinted up to the side of the road, sure enough, it was a scooter. Not the scooter he had been hoping for…This one was black with a rider decked out it black, even with a large black helmet. They looked like one of those motorcycle riders which seemed like too much for the scooter they were riding, probably a rental anyway. The scooter driver went past Naota, but glanced at him in the process, something didn't feel right about that glance.

Naota sighed and turned back to go to his homework, _I miss her…_Naota thought, he was thinking about his lost love that hadn't come back yet, whom he believed would come back one day. But then something odd happened Naota missed, the scooter driver stopped and turned around.

"Hey kid!" A presumably male voice yelled.

Naota glanced back at the scooter driver, then around himself before pointing to himself. This made the scooter driver nod. The scooter driver had pulled onto the sidewalk.

"I've got a question for you kid." The scooter driver told Naota. This made Naota raise an eyebrow.

"Go find someone else." Naota turned around and began walking down to his homework. The scooter driver took off his helmet, revealing short brown hair, green eyes, a thin, clean shaven face; and a twitching eyebrow.

"Get back here, kid!" The scooter driver revved his scooter, going after Naota. Naota looked back just in time to see the driver lose control on the hill behind him and fly toward him at a million miles an hour before smashing into him.

_Not again…_Were his only thoughts as he was smashed into and everything went black. Naota flew through the air, the scooter driver fell off the back of his scooter, and his scooter tumbled over Naota and into the river…

"Shit! Now I have to buy that damn rental company…" Then he noticed Naota face down in the grass out cold, "Holy crap!" The scooter driver ran over to Naota.

"Kid! Kid! You ok?" The scooter driver shook Naota silly, flipping him over so he could breathe. "I killed him!" The scooter driver shook harder, Naota flopping around limply.

"What are you doing?" The scooter driver froze, before slowly turning his head to see a tall girl with purplish hair.

"I, uh…I…I'm just playin' with this kid here." The scooter driver was laughing oddly and rubbing the back of his head.

"Naota, you ok?" The purple haired girl called out, making the scooter driver freeze in hysterical shock. This made the girl show a smirk. "I guess that's a no…" She walked down to them.

"Er…I didn't…you know…uh…lets keep this a secret? Ok?" The scooter driver more stated than requested. The girl raised an eyebrow at him. Naota groaned, still out like a light…

"Who are you anyway?"

"Just call me Chris…"

"You're American…"She stated but he took it as more of a question by nodding.

"Yup…So what should we do about your friend here?" He looked up at her. She considering telling this Chris to just leave him, which could be funny, or she could stay with Naota alone…

"I know where he lives, so you can carry him, I'll show you the way." She turned and started heading in the direction of what Chris assumed to be Naota's house. This made him panic.

"H-Hey, wait up!" She was already up the hill by the time he managed to pull Naota onto his shoulders. She looked back for a moment and continued walking as Chris scrambled up the hill with a kid on his shoulder. Conveniently for Chris, Naota didn't live TOO far away…

Upon the door being opened, Chris fell to the floor, Naota rolling off his shoulder, "That was ridiculous…!" Chris complained, his face in the floor.

"Quit being such a baby." The girl walked past Chris, calling for Naota's guardians presumably, "Kamon, Shigekuni, Naota here needs help." Chris raised his head from the floor and propped it up on his hand.

"What's your name anyway?"

"Ninamori." The girl sat down on what looked like a porch inside while a man with a pigtail and glasses come into the hall from another room.

"Hmm? What are you doing here Ninamori-chan?" The new man asked before noticing Naota on the floor, "Naota-kun? What's wrong? Wake up!" The man shook his son, slapping him across the face. Chris looked at the father and son in awe before moving to sit next to Ninamori.

"Are they always like that?" Chris asked Ninamori, poking his thumb in their direction. She only nodded in response, she didn't show it but she was worried about Naota. All of a sudden Chris remembered something. This kid Naota had power coming from his head…_That gives me an idea…_Chris stood up causing Ninamori to glance at him. Chris walked over to Kamon who didn't notice him for a moment but then looked up from his obvious child abuse questioningly.

"Who are you?" Kamon asked.

"Chris, now if you'll move, I think I can help your kid." Kamon had seen and dealt with weirder when Haruko-chan had been there so he stood and stepped aside. Chris cracked his knuckles before pulling a black double necked guitar seemingly from no where and bringing it down on Naota's head, which broke through the floor. Ninamori and Kamon looked at Chris in shock.

"What?" Chris asked them. All of a sudden Naota sat up, gripping his head, which now had a bright red mark on it.

"Owwww!" Naota yelled out in pain.

"Naota-kun, you're awake!" Ninamori and Kamon exclaimed. Haruko was the only person they had ever seen do something like that. Chris swung the guitar up and onto his shoulder.

"All better." Chris grinned down at Naota, who had his back to Chris. Naota looked back at Chris, old pain, new face.

"Y-you're the one who ran me over!" Naota pointed an excusatory finger at Chris.

"I have no idea what you're talking about…" Chris shrugged, "must be that hit from the guitar, sorry kid. By the way, where am I?"

"Mabase." Ninamori stated since Naota was too busy staring in disbelief at Chris and Kamon was too busy staring in shock. It wasn't a big deal…

"Hmm? Mabase? Where's that?" Chris looked at her questioningly. He figured it was nowhere, but might as well check.

"No where." She replies. He knew it. It was perfect. Where better to stay hidden than no where? By now Kamon had snapped out of his shock, although he wasn't too happy that the floor would need replacing, then again Kanti could always do it…

"Thank you, Chris-san, for waking my Naota-kun." Kamon thanked Chris.

"Dad! He was the one who knocked me out in the first place!" Naota exclaimed in disbelief.

"Eri, you saw him run me over, right?" Naota was grasping for an argument, Ninamori only shrugged, this was funny. Naota gawked at her.

"Chris-san, you don't look familiar, are you new in town?" Kamon asked of Chris.

"Yea. I was kind of heading no where in particular. It seems I found it. You know of a place I could stay for a bit? My transportation is kind of…washed up right now…" Kamon nodded, his fingers to his chin.

"I see I see, you could stay" Suddenly a door slammed open, an old man standing in the door way, "What was with all that racket in here?" The old man yelled out before noticing Chris. His eyebrow twitched…_Another guitar swinger…_The door immediately slammed shut. Haruko was fine, not a second one. Chris looked questioningly at the door that was now closed.

"Don't worry, that's just my father," Kamon said, "You can stay here for at least the night for waking my son." Chris was apprehensive, considering not 30 minutes ago he'd run this guy's kid over with a scooter.

"Sure, why not?" Chris shrugged. "Thanks by the way." Then a robot peeked into the hall from the kitchen. Chris reacted by jumping back and screaming, "W-w-what's that?" It looked like a TV with a body.

"That's our robot, his name's Kanti…" The still mad Naota stated.

"Robot?" Chris questioned as Naota stood and walked upstairs to his room. The smell of food could be discerned in the hall so Chris assumed what the others already knew; Kanti was a service bot and was cooking something. It smelled spicy.

"Naota-kun, it's almost dinner time." Kamon called after Naota.

"I'm not hungry." Naota seemed mad, which he was. Dinner with a robot, an old man, a crazy man, and a quiet girl made for an interesting experience for Chris although they all thought the same that night, _There's something off about this kid…_Even Kanti's motherboard came to the same conclusion. Despite their noise Naota went up to his room and fell face first into his bed. He'd been hoping Haruko had come back…Instead he gets a scooter and guitar in the face from some stranger, stuff only Haruko had done to him before. With thoughts of Haruko and ponderings on Chris in his head Naota drifted off to sleep.

Much later Naota peeked open his eyes, it was dark in his room, dark and quiet…wait…no it wasn't quite quiet. There was a faint sound coming from somewhere outside his room. Naota sat up before standing. He looked around his room, there was definitely some sound coming from downstairs but he couldn't tell what it was. Naota opened his door and could discern a guitar being played softly and a voice, male, singing quietly. Words could faintly be heard.

…

And you feel the eyes upon you  
>As you're shakin' off the cold<br>You pretend it doesn't bother you  
>But you just want to explode <p>

Naota walked down the stairs slowly, only to spot Chris, no longer in his black, rather in a blank white tee and jeans, playing his guitar and singing with his eyes closed. Naota stood at the bottom of the stairs, watching Chris as he continued.

Most times you can't hear 'em talk,  
>Other times you can<br>All the same old clichés,  
>"Is that a woman or a man?"<br>And you always seem outnumbered,  
>You don't dare make a stand<p>

Here I am  
>On the road again<br>There I am  
>Up on the stage<br>Here I go  
>Playin' star again<br>There I go  
>Turn the page…<p>

Suddenly Chris stopped. "I know you're there, kid." Chris stated plainly. This surprised Naota, he thought he had been silent.

"You're good…" Naota commented. Chris shrugged.

"I'm sorry for running you over Naota, that's your name, right?" Chris asked. Naota nodded.

"No apology for the guitar being smashed into my head?" Naota asked of Chris, raising an eyebrow at the older teen. Chris chuckled.

"Noooo, no apology for that, it was the only way I had to guarantee that you woke up. I wasn't doing CPR, sorry buddy." Chris laughed, Naota thought, _Great, another immature adult…_ It then hit Naota that he was missing something.

"Wait, where's my stuff from the river?" Naota needed his homework for school.

"You mean this?" Chris pulled a bag from no where, as far as Naota could see, with a proud grin on his face.

"That's not mine…" Chris did a double take.

"It isn't?" Naota shook his head in response. "Shit…gimme a sec." Chris began pulling a multitude of items from no where; even things that shouldn't have been possible including a scooter wheel…Finally Chris pulled a bag out, giving Naota a questioning look. Naota nodded, standing up and walking over to take the bag from Chris.

"What are you doing here?" Naota asked of Chris, looking down at him.

"Well…I'm kind of running right now." Chris admitted.

"Running from what..?" Naota wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"From the devil…" Chris gave Naota an evil look to emphasize his new creepy tone. Naota took a step back from Chris, eyebrow twitching. Chris grinned, changing his whole demeanor.

"Nah, I'm just playing, Naota." Chris laughed. That was something Haruko might try to pull… "I'm just trying to hide from some person who doesn't see eye to eye with me right now." Naota squinted at Chris, almost a glare, for acting like that.

That's when it happened, a loud crash outside, probably someone or something smashing into a house. However it wasn't a normal kind of crash, it sounded like a cave-in more than a crash…

Well that's the first chapter, not much else I have to say on that other than…Cliffhanger? Aww damn, son. What happened? Anyway for those that might see me and think this is my first story, it isn't. It's just the first with this profile, which I made because I forgot my other password…Hope you liked it, I'm trying to stay true to the characters. I'd ask you to review but I don't really care if you do or don't, I'm writing this for myself.

First song was Hysteria by Muse

Second song (portion) was Turn the Page by Bob Seger (or Metallica if you like).


	2. Chapter 2

**Maybe this will make the transitions in my story easier? Bold print. I don't have much else to say, I'm generally a person of few words.**

**Disclaimer: No I don't own FLCL and I think it's pretty stupid that I need to say I don't when it's obvious I don't own it.**

**OOOOOOOOO**

Both Naota and Chris looked in the direction of the "crash", a worried look on Naota's face and a raised eyebrow on Chris's face.

"Hmm? What was that?" Chris wondered aloud.

"I don't know…Maybe we should check to make sure no one was hurt?" Naota suggested to Chris. Chris was already standing up from his seated position.

"Sure, why not?" With this Chris followed Naota out of his home and his family's bread shop into the street, Naota setting a quick (running) pace. Out in the street, in the spare light of the moon and stars in the cloudless night sky, they could see a house had collapsed. The house was located three houses from Naota's home. Naota thought the owners of that house had left town for a vacation a few days ago but he wasn't sure…

The two ran to the house which was little more now than a pile of rubble. The dust from the cave in had yet to settle, but Naota thought for a split second he saw a shadow move through the dust. He froze because the shadow was not a normal human shadow; rather it was MUCH larger and amorphous in shape…

"Did you see that?" Naota voiced his concern.

"See what?" Chris asked Naota. "I didn't see anything." Suddenly something very large and hammer like came hurtling toward them from the unsettled dust. The object, which was attached to a chain, would have hit Chris and Naota but suddenly they were several feet to the left of the intended strike.

"What the…?" Naota looked at the spot they had just been in then at Chris, who just shrugged. Naota had sort of felt them move but no one was that fast…The giant object which resembled a fist was quickly retracted from the hole in the house across the street. Screaming could be heard from inside the house, "MY HOUSE!"

A glowing red dot flashed into existence inside the cloud of dust in the rubble of the ruined house just before a massive arm swiped away the dust from the air. It was a robot…a Medical Mechanica robot…an over 20 foot Medical Mechanica robot, with a small but bright glowing eye in the center of a bulky, spherical body. It had large arms with massive hands and legs and appeared black in color. Naota froze for a split second before turning to Chris, whom he hoped would do something with that guitar of his.

"What…?' Chris asked Naota, noticing his look.

"Aren't you gonna do anything?" Naota asked a bit desperately.

"Nah, I'm generally a pacifist." Chris shook his head.

"What? You ran me over and hit me in the head with your guitar!"

"On accident and because I had to!" If Naota's jaw could have hit the floor it would have, but this isn't anime so that's impossible…

"Besides, I'm sure that robot of yours will be glad to help." Chris noted before looking behind Naota, he then grabbed Naota and threw him off to the right at which point Naota slid across the ground and watched as the giant fist of the robot smashed into Chris. It then continued into the wall of another house.

"Kanti!" Naota called out to the robot as he was standing up. Said robot ran through the front wall of his house without using a door.

"There's a door ya know!" Naota yelled at Kanti who rubbed the back of his "neck" while his screen turned red. The larger robot then noticed Kanti and tried to retract the fist he had used to hit Chris but it wouldn't come back to the robot, and no one could see what was happening in the dark of the house. Instead of waiting for its fist the robot shot out the other fist at Kanti in an attempt to grab him. Kanti jumped over the fist but the chain quickly became taught as the fist was retracted, grabbing Kanti in the foot. The robot then drug Kanti along the road upside down, whipping him in the direction of Naota.

Naota covered his face with his arms as Kanti flew at him but the hit he was expecting never came. Kanti had flipped over Naota while a giant, crushed robot fist rammed into and smashed the other fist of the robot. The first fist was no longer on its chain but the robot had another, semi-workable fist which it retracted. While all of this happened Chris was no where in sight. Naota thought he was dead, but what happened?

The robot then began to move toward Naota, each step it took causing a small earthquake. Naota looked on in fear at the massive robot but suddenly a…tongue? Yea, a tongue wrapped itself around Naota and pulled him backwards into a large maw which was situated right in Kanti's chest. Naota had no time to react before he was in the "pilot seat" of a robot killing machine set to "auto-pilot." However Kanti didn't turn red, in fact he didn't change color at all, he simply began to glow slightly. Kanti no longer had the power of the free Atomsk, but with human involvement (Naota) he could become much stronger and faster. Kanti jump charged the larger robot at a ridiculous speed, smashing his fist into the main body of the robot. This caused the large robot to stagger back a step before trying to smash Kanti but he missed, creating a crater amongst the rubble.

A buzzing noise could be heard then, it sounded like an engine, but it wasn't coming from nearby on the ground…the sky? Kanti looked up, Naota heard it too. It was a yellow Vespa with double necked guitar being swung above it, that was all they could see anyway…_No way…_Naota thought inside Kanti as the Vespa plummeted toward the larger robot.

"Found you!" The voice was unmistakable, it was Haruko…She was flying toward the robot with the clear intent of smashing it. Kanti could see the larger robot was distracted by the screaming woman flying down on them so he took advantage of the distraction by back flip kicking the robot into the sky, toward Haruko. Haruko swerved her flying Vespa out of the way at the last second…

"What the hell?" She screamed down at Kanti who was looking up at her, she needed this one alive for now. Somehow the massive robot managed to right itself in the sky before diving down toward Kanti. Kanti prepared himself to jump but before he could Haruko had jumped from her Vespa, which eventually found itself parked on the side of the road on the ground, and swung her guitar down on the large robot's back, sending him hurtling toward the ground. In a fit of panic, Kanti jumped out of the way of the deadly projectile. It landed face down on the ground, unable to get up with only one arm. Haruko floated down slowly with her guitar onto the robot's back before smashing into it with her guitar and taking something out, something small and metallic which made the robot stop moving.

"Finally…" Haruko had what she was looking for and had been looking for, only vaguely aware of where she was. She was one step closer to him…Kanti then, having no reason to stay in fighting mode, "dropped" Naota out a rear compartment out cold. Haruko looked over to the sound of Naota hitting the ground.

"Huh…? Ta-Kun!" She jumped off the robot she had taken out and ran over to him. "Ta-kun, you ok? Wait…you stink! Kanti you should stop doing that to Ta-kun." Kanti jumped back, embarrassed. Haruko pulled out a kerchief and wiped Naota's face down before grabbing it.

"COME BACK TO LIFE TA-KUN!" Haruko screamed out, bending forward in slow-mo, lips puckered.

"Well look who it is." A voice sounded behind Haruko who stopped just before smashing her mouth into Naota's mouth and popped an eye open before looking behind her, lips still puckered and one eye cracked open.

"Joo ey kno juu?" Haruko asked through puckered lips.

"Aww, Haruko, you don't remember your American boy toy?" Chris chuckled. Suddenly Haruko realized and opened her eyes all the way.

"What are you doing here?" Haruko questioned Chris.

"Eh, just hiding from someone." _Someone who appeared after you left_, Chris thought at the same time. "I have to say Haruko, some interesting stuff happened after you left."

"Hah!" Haruko waved the idea off. "Sorry Chris, Ta-kun's head is the only head that works." Haruko tapped Naota's head for emphasis. "But time definitely changed you for the better." Haruko winked at Chris, making a cat sound and pawing the air in his direction.

"Right…you haven't changed at all…" Chris chuckled a little. "I think you'd be surprised by what that hit to the head did to me." Chris gave her a sly grin. "How about you check that bracelet of yours."

Haruko didn't believe him but she humored him and looked at her bracelet, what she saw made no sense. Her bracelet was jumping quite a bit in Chris's direction.

"Huh? This thing must be broken…" She shook it and checked it like a watch.

"Uhh…What are you doing?" Chris raised an eyebrow at Haruko who was shaking the metallic bracelet violently. "Maybe a demonstration of the power you let me steal is in order?" Chris grinned as Haruko stopped and looked at him before grabbing hold of her guitar and standing, she was ready for a fight.

"No quite…"Chris chuckled. Suddenly Haruko was falling through darkness. She could no longer feel her guitar in her hand. Haruko hit the ground but it didn't hurt, she was quickly on her feet, looking through the darkness cautiously. Suddenly a spotlight shined down from no where on her. _Wait…What?_ She questioned as she noticed she was in a dress! A thin and shiny silver dress that went to mid-thigh, something she wouldn't ever wear unless it was for personal gain. She looked around some more but couldn't see anything.

That's when more light suddenly illuminated the darkness surrounding her. _What the…?_ A piano and drums, both with faceless players in black suits, a choir, and Chris in a red suit with his guitar at a microphone…Chris grinned at Haruko as the music started, an upbeat melody for which he played the bass. He began singing to Haruko who could only stand and watch, literally, she couldn't move.

When these pillars get pulled down,  
>It will be you who wears the crown,<br>And I'll owe everything to you…

How much pain has cracked your soul?  
>How much love would make you whole?<br>You're my guiding lightning strike…

I can't find the words to say,  
>But they're overdue,<br>I've travelled half the world to say,  
>I belong to you…<p>

Chris would point toward Haruko, speaking to her with his music, and she stepped closer against her own will. Although she did think his voice was beautiful…

Then she attacks me like a Leo,  
>When my heart is split like Rio,<br>But, I assure you my debts are real…

Suddenly Chris hit the microphone out of the way and tossed away his guitar, yet the music remained, before grabbing hold of Haruko and dancing while continuing his song. She tried to not dance with him but she couldn't stop.

I can't find the words to say,  
>When I'm confused,<br>I've travelled half the world to say,  
>You are my muse…<p>

Chris twirled her and put her into a dip as he finished the lyric. Haruko looked away from Chris with a sour look and a pink tint to her cheeks because it was all she could muster. Suddenly the music slowed and everything went black again. Haruko found herself sitting on the piano facing Chris who was playing quietly and singing to her.

Ah! Réponds, réponds à ma tendresse,  
>Verse-moi, verse-moi l'ivresse…<p>

Chris sang to her in French softly, when out of no where the music picked up hugely.

Réponds à ma tendresse,  
>Réponds à ma tendresse,<br>Ah! Verse-moi l'ivresse,  
>Verse-moi, verse-moi l'ivresse,<p>

Réponds à ma tendresse,  
>Réponds à ma tendresse,<p>

With what appeared a soft finish, Chris looked the staring Haruko in the eyes, and sang.

Ah! Verse-moi l'ivresse…

I belong…

I belong to you alone…

With a cut to black, Haruko thought Chris was finished but his last words had left a mark…_He was never this…_good_…_Haruko thought to herself as the light returned to reveal Chris dancing with her again and the return of the original beat.

I can't find the words to say,  
>But they're overdue,<br>I've travelled half the world to say,  
>I belong to you…<p>

Chris finished their dance with one more low dip. This time Haruko could only stare in amazement at this young man who was nothing like he had been 6 years before…She thought she wanted to move and get out of there but her mind seemed emptied by what Chris had done. Chris leaned in closer, still holding Haruko in a dip, and kissed her cheek.

"This is my world…and you made all this possible with that blue bass of yours…" Chris whispered in her ear before there was only darkness. Haruko felt herself falling again. This time she landed back where they had been, on the street and under the moonlight. Haruko, who had been standing, fell to one knee, unable to stand after what had happened. She felt weak. _His power…_She thought to herself. _I want it…_Either she wanted that…or him, but who can tell?

Chris was grinning at Haruko, leaning on his guitar.

"Enjoy yourself?" He asked her jokingly.

"No!" She spat at him defensively. He only chuckled, he knew otherwise.

"I'd love to play with your mind more like you played with mine but I'm afraid your newest…friend may need your attention." He pointed behind her to the still out cold Naota. What he didn't admit at the time was that his song was true in regard to his feelings for Haruko. However, something told him his time had passed, it was this kid's turn. He was the only one with a real chance.

"Eh?" Haruko looked behind herself to see Kanti had left and Naota was on the ground.

"Ta-kun…"She whispered to him although she knew he was unconscious. She slung her guitar over her shoulder and picked up the teen off the ground. She carried him in the direction of his home, passing Chris on the way.

Chris watched her pass him before swinging his guitar over his shoulder and following her.

**OOOOOOOOO**

Naota woke up in his bed the next morning to the light coming in through his window and stared up at his brother's bed. It was the weekend.

"What a weird dream…" Naota mumbled to himself. After a few moments of staring at his brother's bed above him he moved the covers off his bed and stood. He walked to the door of his room, opened it and made his way downstairs. Still tired, he didn't notice the damage to the front of the house that Kanti was busy repairing…

Naota made his way into the kitchen…

"What? What are you doing here?" Haruko was sitting at the table with Kamon, Shigekuni, and Chris, and he was pointing a finger at her. _It wasn't a dream..!_

"Calm down Naota-kun...you always act this way when Haruko-chan shows up…" Kamon told his son. Unfortunately Naota wasn't fully there, last night had actually happened!

"It wasn't a dream…That means…" Naota was mumbling to himself. "Haruko! What are you—" Haruko flew through the air and smashed her guitar into Naota's head calling out, "Fooooooly!". Naota went flying into a wall and smashed it.

"Cooly." Haruko stated, holding her guitar with a sly grin. Chris looked at the scene with wide eyes.

"Eh? Fooly cooly?" Kamon and Shigekuni exclaimed in unison.

"What was THAT for?" Naota yelled at Haruko as he stood from the wreckage.

"Yup, me and Ta-kun here," Haruko grabbed Naota around the shoulders and pulled him close, "Fooly cooly buddies." Haruko gave a mischievous smile, her yellow eyes twinkling with her insanity.

"Ehhhh?" Shigekuni and Kamon gawked at Haruko and Naota, whose face had taken a red tint.

"What? No way!" Naota tried to walk away.

"Uhh…question…what does fooly cooly mean?" Chris asked. Shigekuni was happy to answer by using his hands to express his words. It didn't help.

Haruko grabbed onto Naota's collar before he could walk away.

"Where are YOU going?" Haruko yelled at Naota, pulling him back.

"Away from you!" Naota called back to Haruko, whom he was trying to pull away from.

"I knew it! You two were always fooly cooly!" Kamon claimed boldly as Haruko yanked Naota back.

"Com back here Naota-kun!" Haruko called to Naota as she yanked him back by his collar. _Eh…? She called me Naota…_Naota observed as he flew back and into Haruko. Meanwhile Shigekuni was confusing Chris with his inability to form sentences and his nonsensical hand gestures.

Naota crashed into Haruko who flew back and to the ground. Everyone else in the room watched it awe. When Naota and Haruko hit the ground, Naota was on top of Haruko and was looking down at her. Their faces were close. In his own embarrassment Naota didn't notice Haruko's face was almost as red as his. She knew he used to love her, she wondered if he still did. Kamon was gawking at them on the ground, his face changing many colors.

Calm couldn't stick around any longer so that's when Haruko noticed Naota's hand on her chest. She pushed him away, making him fly through the air.

"Oh~! Ta-Kun~! What kind of girl do you think I am?" Haruko covered her chest with her arms defensively, sitting now with a blush to her cheeks for effect.

"What? I didn't—" Naota was interrupted by his dad. Shigekuni had resumed his explanation of fooly cooly to Chris who was no less ignorant.

"Naota-kun! How could you touch Haruko-chan like that?" Kamon yelled at his son. "Only adults should do that…" Kamon mumbled, his back to his son.

"I heard that!" Naota yelled at his dad. "And I didn't mean to…I mean it was an accident!" Naota, who was still blushing, yelled at his dad. Haruko was watching the spectacle with amusement.

"Inexcusable! You must be punished…" Kamon pondered on a punishment quickly.

"Dad—" Naota tried to say something but was silenced by his dad.

"As punishment, you will have to watch as I do the same to Haruko-chan!" Kamon announced, turning toward Haruko, glasses flashing and fingers twitching. Haruko thought she could see him drooling.

"No chance!" Haruko swung her guitar from no where, smashing Kamon in the face, sending him flying. It is said that the ensuing racket from the Nandaba household could be heard from miles away. Chris never learned what fooly cooly meant.

**OOOOOOOOO**

**Well I think that was a good second chapter. I started it but then I lost my inspiration. I found it again with that song I used. Happy face.**

**Song: I Belong To You by Muse**

**Now I know what I said with the last chapter about comments, but I want to know, am I doing a good job with the personalities of the characters thus far? I'm trying to keep them in character. If you don't say anything else in a review at least tell me how I'm doing with the characters.**


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